"We hate the president; we're gonna kill the president, his wife and his kids."

Let me see if I got the protocol straight here.

I put up a post (this one) about how Derrick Thomas, a Brooklyn Park, MN teenager, gets the shit beat out of him at 1am last Wednesday on a bike ride home. His attackers were armed with an ax, a gun, and brass knuckles. They called him a nigger while they were beating the crap out him and told him

"We hate the president; we're gonna kill the president, his wife and his kids."

They also assaulted Derrick's uncle only a few blocks away.

I say that this attack was racially motivated and that it is an indication of the uptick in bias of having a black president. I point out the obvious fanning the flames of this sentiment by people like Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, who said recently.

"Barack Obama's America....black kids beating up white kids"

Several posters here then point out that some black kids beat up some white kids...somewhere...and raped a white woman but you'll never hear about it in the liberal media because they're all out to git us white folk.

These same commenters chide me for playing the race card and say that it's all the fault of race mongers like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. How dare I even question that anyone is racist anymore...let alone any conservative or Republican? It's all an obvious liberal lie.

Then we get a bunch of horse shit about how hate crimes are crap and some very pleasant questions that are generally of the theme that perhaps this kid brought it on himself etc. Right around here is where I get accused of being a paranoid, conspiracy theory kook for thinking this is condoned by a large portion of a certain political party.

The original facts are quickly forgotten, a free pass is given to all who need it, and life goes merrily along....as a bunch of fucking Aryan nation asshats continue to draw support.

Sound about right?

Body Count: 2

I'm sure most of you will recall the death of Dr. George Tiller a few months back. He was killed by Scott Roeder, an anti abortion activist. Roeder's wife described him as follows

It was about 1991-92 when he basically couldn't cope with everyday life. He couldn't make ends meet, he couldn't pay the bills and didn't know why he couldn't do that. And someone told him that if he didn't pay his federal taxes, if those taxes were left in his check, he could make ends meet. And then he started investigating that and someone told him that it wasn't ratified properly in the Constitution, that it was illegal. And he went from there and got into the anti-government, got into the militia, got into the Freeman, and along those lines anti-abortion issues came up and he started becoming very religious in the sense that he finally — he was reading the Bible. But then, after we were divorced, his religion took on a whole new right wing of itself.

Roeder has said of the killing.

I know there are many other similar events planned around the country as long as abortion remains legal.

I'm sure many of you will also recall Minnesota's own Michelle Bachmann calling for a boycott of the US Census because of its general evil and ACORN's faux involvement (ACORN!-Eep, blurp, squonk, output=RAGE!).

And now we have this, from AP.

Bill Sparkman, a census worker, age 51, was found hanged in a Kentucky national forest two weeks ago. The word "fed" had been scrawled on his chest, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to discuss the case.

The FBI are still investigated the case but I think we can all see where this is going. A recent column by Michael Smerconish makes it pretty clear what we are in store for....

Manchester, Kashner reports, found that in the third year of the Kennedy presidency, "a kind of fever lay over Dallas country. Mad things happened. Huge billboards screamed 'Impeach Earl Warren.' Jewish stores were smeared with crude swastikas. ... Radical right polemics were distributed in public schools; Kennedy's name was booed in classrooms; corporate junior executives were required to attend radical seminars."

And we are only in the ninth month of the Obama administration. In addition, our "fever" is sadly national.

A full-page advertisement had appeared the day of the assassination in the Dallas Morning News accusing Kennedy of making a secret deal with the Communist Party; when it was shown to the president, he was appalled. He turned to Jacqueline, who was visibly upset, and said, 'Oh, you know, we're headed into nut country today.'"

Mr. President, in the last 46 years, our entire nation has grown into nut country.

Protesters marched on Washington carrying signs that read "Bury Obamacare with Kennedy," "Impeach the Muslim Marxist," and "We came unarmed ... this time." A member of Congress shouted down the president and raked in more than $1.5 million in campaign contributions in the days that followed. Cable TV's hottest personality just called the commander-in-chief a "racist" with a "deep-seated hatred for white people."

We come unarmed...this time? And some of you think I am being paranoid? I'm sure some of you will point to the pro life activist who was killed recently or the white kids being beat up...somewhere...as evidence that the people on the "left" are just as dangerous. Sorry, but that dog won't hunt. Compare the acts of violence that I mention to the ones the right wings pundits have trotted out.

They aren't even in the same fucking ballpark.

It's going to get worse, folks, and you know what's really sad? The more the body count rises...and even if that includes President Obama...the more the base will scream that they were justified in murder.

Just wait...it's going to happen.

How is that racist?

Bill nails it again. Starts at 1:16.

Fox News Producer Caught Rallying 9/12 Protest Crowd

Why bother hiding it anymore?

Simply The Same

As I was scanning my morning emails today, I noticed that President Ahmadinejad of Iran made yet another in a series of comments that the Holocaust was a lie. "The pretext (Holocaust) for the creation of the Zionist regime (Israel) is false ... It is a lie based on an unprovable and mythical claim," he told worshippers at Tehran University at the end of an annual anti-Israel "Qods (Jerusalem) Day" rally. We've heard this kind of talk before. It's outrageous, inhuman, offensive, and quite insane.

Essentially, it's the gold plated signature of the conservative base of this country.

Now I don't mean to imply that the right is anti Semitic. They aren't. Remember, suddenly they love Jewish people:) Of course, their reason for this (similar to a barbecue party admiring the fat hog about to be thrown on the spit) is due to their....ehm...belief...that the slaughter of many non-believing Jews will be the precursor to the Second Coming. Yea! I'm certain my friends in Israel can't wait...

What I am saying, though, is that the president of Iran seems to ALSO be a part of the tap into your inner rage and pass it off as fact crowd...Muslim version. He says something that is not true (death panels, Obama isn't a US citizen, immigrants are stealing our luggage and dinnerware) about an historical event (Vietnam was all fucked up because of the media, Iraq really had WMD's) and then spins it so his country is absolutely perfect, beyond reproach, and eternally above criticism.

Whenever he opens his mouth, I see Sarah Palin speaking...shouting about how America should never have to apologize for anything. And anyone who does isn't a real Muslim...ooops...I mean American. I hear her along with Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh talk about the "evil" of Barack Obama's health care plan and can't help but think that if you just substituted the word "Zionists" in there, that those three aforementioned folks would make great hirabis.

I've been taken to the mat before on similar comparisons so before all of you on the right start going ape shit (yet another similarity:)) think about this in terms of degrees. While the conservative base in this country has not openly murdered homosexuals...yet anyway...they do, just like their Muslim counterparts, cite biblical precedent for being anti-gay. It happened here recently in comments (kudos to rld). In addition, I think we can all agree that the conservative base is not going to make their women folk dress up in burkas anytime soon. Yet they do believe that a woman's place is in the home...just like the Bible says...a book that was written by men....just like The Qu'ran.

So, the next time President A opens his yap, take note of the similarity between what he espouses and what the base in this country preaches. Equally as important is HOW they say it which is EXACTLY the same...filled with fear, rage, and paranoia.

Wouldn't it be great if all of them could find some part of the world to yell at each other and leave the rest of us out of it so we can perhaps...EVOLVE?

The Wrecking Crew

The latest scalps that conservative activists have claimed (ACORN and Van Jones) got me to thinking about Thomas Frank's book The Wrecking Crew. If you want to understand why the right hates ACORN so much, read this book. In fact, if you want to understand the right at all and why I say the things I have said in some of the latest threads, you really need to read this book.

From the first review on Amazon.

According to Frank, the conservative worldview is totally committed to "the ideal of laissez faire, meaning minimal government interference in the marketplace, along with hostility to taxation, regulation, organized labor, state ownership, and all the business community's other enemies. "The conservative movement promotes the interests of business exclusively over all else in accordance with the motto, "More business in government, less government in business." So-called "big government," also tagged as the liberal state, is the enemy; in fact, virtually all government is the enemy, other than the national defense.

Juxtapose this with ACORN's central causes: higher minimum wages, more affordable housing, and voter registration and one can easily see why they are rabidly against everything that ACORN stands for and will stop at nothing to destroy them.

Further, from the same comment

Frank also highlights the manner in which conservatives have repeatedly run the country into huge spending deficits in order to "defund the left" while simultaneously politicizing government management positions by favoring ideology over competence. The end result under Republican conservative stewardship is government that demonstrates itself as ineffectual and incompetent, offering but further proof that big government is inherently incapable of working and needs to be outsourced to private, professional concerns who can do the job correctly (and then inevitably failing to do so).

Which is exactly what happened in the Bush Administration. Folks, continue to try to "see all sides" and "be fair" with the current incarnation of the right today and you do so at your own peril as we see in the final line of this review of Frank's book.

Frank demonstrates well that present day politics has truly become, to invert von Clausiwitz's famous maxim, "a continuation of war by other means." Regrettably, one side of the battle (liberals/progressives) continues to play the game as politics, as elections won or lost and citizens swayed or not, while the other side (the conservative base) approaches it as an act of war, a no-holds-barred contest in which the only goal is the complete and utter destruction of the other side.

Folks, this how the right thinks. Jones and ACORN are just the beginning. They can't accept the fact the Barack Obama is president and will do everything in their power to see him brought down. It's only going to be a matter of time before the methods they use will become violent. Their rage is too great and history, I fear, will be repeated.

Oh, no he di'int!!!

Former President Jimmy Carter recently stated that much of the bile towards President Obama is racially motivated. In addition to this comment being filed under "No Shit," this is sure to roil the right even more. First of all, it's Carter so expect all the Carter roasting over an open pit to begin again...always a classic, btw.

And then look for the re-direct on the racism as well. "It's all they have left", "Race Monger", "Eeep-Blurp-Squonk" will all be heard repeatedly over the next few days.

Or you can just check the comments section on the post below for similarly themed denials.

Say It Ain't So, Joe...

I've had a few emails and in person comments about my thoughts on the Joe Wilson deal. I think Andrew Sullivan put it best.

But there was something clarifying about a Southern good ol' boy yelling "Liar" at the president over illegal immigration. That's what the GOP now is: the worst aspects of the old Democratic party combined with a nihilism that is only eclipsed by its catastrophic governance for the past eight years.

No shit. And this is from someone who used to be a Republican.

The problem is that now we have a very large swath of conservatives running around re-framing the bias debate. It's clear to me that Joe Wilson is fucking racist. He can't stand the fact that a black man is president. In fact, I'd wager most people that told their children not to watch President Obama give his education speech last Tuesday are racist as well. But you can't call them on it. Oh no.

Because they start in with the song and dance routine about how that's all liberals know how to do, it's knee jerk reaction, it's unfair..blah blah blah etc etc. From there the left cowers in fear and thinks "Gee, maybe I went too far" and then loses the argument while the original action and it's obvious undertones are long forgotten.

Now, I have no problem admitting that I am biased against Muslim men. It's something I struggle with everyday. The question is...why can't nearly all conservatives admit their problem? I think it ties in to their complete inability to admit when they are at fault. You know...the whole "if you admit you are wrong, you show weakness" meme.

The fact is, folks, that we all have bias. It's part of our socio-cultural context. We distrust the other. And it doesn't matter what side of the aisle we are on. In fact, it's an historical truth that the Democrats have a longer history of racism than the Republicans which I find sad. Not for the Democrats, who have clearly taken steps to outgrow their racism but for the Republicans, a party who once proudly appointed the first black government officials.

A party who cannot see how far they have sunk.

Wow.

I have to admit that, while I liked Al Franken, I did not think he was the strongest Democrat my home state could field. After watching this video, I realize how wrong I was. Way to go, Senator Franken.

Mission Accomplished

"Thinking about my kids in school having to listen to that just really upsets me," suburban Colorado mother Shanneen Barron told CNN Denver affiliate KMGH. "I'm an American. They are Americans, and I don't feel that's OK. I feel very scared to be in this country with our leadership right now."

The UItimate Betrayal

WTF???!!!??

"Government efforts to funnel hundreds of billions of dollars into the U.S. economy appear to be helping the U.S. climb out of the worst recession in decades."

The rest of the article is pretty even handed but this line alone made me, as Bill Maher recently put it, "drop my Bible that I was using to help me masturbate into my gun."

I suppose it's only a matter of time before the right begins to accuse the Wall Street Journal of being a communist newspaper:)

The Sleeping Giant....AWAKE.

I haven't felt the urge to post lately...busy with all sorts of things in my life...school being the primary one. But this story has brought me out of my slumber.

Question for conservatives: WHAT THE FUCK IS THE MATTER WITH YOU?!!!???

Seriously, your paranoia and psychosis is officially limitless. President Obama wants to address the students of this nation on the importance of hard work and staying in school. And you are "absolutely appalled that taxpayer dollars are being used to spread President Obama's socialist ideology?" To put it simply, you are collection of asshats.

You complain about our schools not doing a good enough job educating children...the lack of motivation and inspiration...and yet your maniacal fervor won't even allow President Obama to deliver a simple message of on the significance of education. Do you seriously have a governor of a sitting state (Rick Perry, Texas) telling children to stay home from school that day?

I didn't think it was possible for me to be angrier than I was during the W years but I got news for all of you...I am. So, the gloves are off, folks. There won't be anymore polite debating and "trying to see all angles." As of right now, I am finished trying to be fair with you people. And it is YOUR fault. I am sick of trying to pretend otherwise. You aren't part of any sort of solution at all. You exist only to tap into your inner rage and try to fuck things up for this country. You are the problem.

For me to pretend otherwise any longer is insanity.

Not Even Hiding it Anymore

At a recent town hall meeting, Northern California US Rep. Wally Herger fielded a comment from one of his constituents.

“I am a proud right wing terrorist,” he declared to cheers.

And Congressmen Herger's response?

“Amen, God bless you,” Herger said with a broad smile. “There is a great American.”

And people are giving me shit about comparing the right to Al Qaeda...

Geography 101

Hmm....do they teach Geography at Fox News?

A Shovel to the Head Stunner

Check out this deeply personal column from a recent issue of the Atlantic by David Goldhill. It is a perfect summation of the deep malaise that has inflicted our health care system. From the article.

Accidentally, but relentlessly, America has built a health-care system with incentives that inexorably generate terrible and perverse results. Incentives that emphasize health care over any other aspect of health and well-being. That emphasize treatment over prevention. That disguise true costs. That favor complexity, and discourage transparent competition based on price or quality. That result in a generational pyramid scheme rather than sustainable financing. And that—most important—remove consumers from our irreplaceable role as the ultimate ensurer of value.

If you are heading to a town hall meeting with your representative, read this first.

Not So Much

Is there anyone else out there who is not at all shocked by former Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge's "revelation" that he was pressured by the White House to raise the color coded threat level before the 2004 election?

What is interesting, though, is the reminder of how bin Laden released a tape right before that election. I have to say that I think Al Qaeda is befuddled about what to do now that they don't have poster boy Bush to hold up as a recruiting tool anymore. A country that elected a man whose middle name is Hussein? Well, that's not any fun.

Back in 2004, I imagine a very assertive group of hirabis shitting themselves at the thought of a President Kerry. Sure, he could probably bore everyone to death with his fine impression of a human toothache but rile up the natives? No one could get multiple psychotics to strap explosives to their chests like W.

Hence the video...

Classic

From today's Onion

Congress Deadlocked Over How To Not Provide Health Care

"Both parties understand that the current system is broken," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters Monday. "But what we can't seem to agree upon is how to best keep it broken, while still ensuring that no elected official takes any political risk whatsoever. It’s a very complicated issue."

"Ultimately, though, it's our responsibility as lawmakers to put these differences aside and focus on refusing Americans the health care they deserve," Pelosi added.

No fucking shit.

Seven Falsehoods about Health Care Reform

Just a quick one so far today...check out these seven falsehoods from factcheck.org regarding health care reform.

Yeah, tell me again...

Perhaps it's naivete or perhaps he's just a nice guy trying to reach across the aisle. President Obama, in his first health care town hall meeting in New Hampshire on Tuesday, spoke highly of Senator Grassley of Iowa and Senator Johnny Isakson of Georgia saying

I think there are my friends on Capital Hill who are sincerely trying to figure out a health care bill that works.

And how did they, in that spirit of bipartisanship, embrace him?

Grassley of Iowa:

In the House bill, there is counseling for end of life. You have every right to fear. You shouldn’t have counseling at the end of life, you should have done that 20 years before. Should not have a government run plan to decide when to pull the plug on grandma.

And Johnny boy released this statement.

U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today denounced comments made by President Obama and his spokesman regarding Isakson’s alleged connection to language contained in the House health care bill on “end-of-life counseling.”

Isakson vehemently opposes the House and Senate health care bills and he played no role in drafting language added to the House bill by House Democrats calling for the government to incentivize doctors by offering them money to conduct “end-of-life counseling” with Medicare patients every five years. Isakson also strongly opposed the House bill language calling for doctors to follow a government-mandated list of topics to discuss with patients during the counseling sessions.

Odd considering that he had this to say just in an interview, about the end of life counseling, just moments before.

I have no idea. I understand -- and you have to check this out -- I just had a phone call where someone said Sarah Palin's web site had talked about the House bill having death panels on it where people would be euthanized. How someone could take an end of life directive or a living will as that is nuts. You're putting the authority in the individual rather than the government. I don't know how that got so mixed up.

Even more odd considering Isakson PUSHED FOR THE SAME THING IN THE SENATE!!

And people are telling me that the Democrats have no interest in bipartisanship? If anything, they are being too nice and conciliatory while conservatives know (i.e. what I have been saying since I fucking started this blog) that they have to play to the nutters of their party because....THAT'S WHAT THEIR WHOLE PARTY IS!!!!

So, please, the next time someone tells you that the Democrats are stubborn, immovable, play to the crazies in their base, and don't want compromise, show them this post. And tell them to come back with something that isn't direct from their ass.

Very Cool

I am a very big fan of Morning Joe on MSNBC. This might come as a big shock to some of you being that Joe Scarborough is a Republican but I think he's great and his show is money.

Claire Macaskill, Democratic Senator from Missouri, was on this morning to ask about her raucous town hall meeting yesterday. She said a couple of things that I thought were pretty fucking great. When asked what she thought about the hecklers she said,

Well, this is what I signed up for. People that can't take this shouldn't run for office. It's democracy in its purest form and that isn't always pretty. We had a few bad moments when people were shouting over each other but all in all it was a good meeting.

It actually was a good meeting and she made some pretty good points that silenced the loud mouths right quick. When she asked for a show of hands as to who was on Medicare, several people raised them. Then she asked how many of those people wanted to get rid of Medicare because it was run by the government, I didn't see a single hand go up.